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Americans are angry, exhausted, and divided — but not for the reasons we’re told.

In this episode, Joseph Steagall sits down with Rocky Haag, a politically agnostic thinker, to explore why people feel unseen, why institutions are losing trust, and how AI, endless wars, and economic pressure are reshaping society.

This is not a Left vs Right conversation.
It’s a systems-level discussion about power, dignity, and the future.

0:00 Why Americans Feel Politically Homeless
4:12 MAGA 2.0 Explained (Not What You Think)
9:45 One-Income Families Vanished — Here’s Why
17:30 Forever Wars Are a Business Model
25:10 AI Warfare & Loss of Human Agency
34:40 Empire Mindset vs Human Dignity
44:15 Faith, Power & Manipulation
55:00 Is America Actually Awakening?

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Freedom doesn’t disappear overnight — it erodes quietly through fear, censorship, and silence.
In this episode of The Middle Ground Mic, journalist and U.S. diplomat Mahtab Farid shares how she grew up under Iran’s revolution and chose to serve America without ever wearing a uniform.

Born in Tehran during the Islamic Revolution and the Iran-Iraq War, Mahtab Farid experienced censorship and repression firsthand. Those early experiences shaped her understanding of truth, freedom, and the responsibility that comes with liberty.

After becoming a U.S. citizen just months before 9/11, Mahtab made a defining choice: to serve the country that gave her freedom. As a U.S. Public Diplomacy Officer, she deployed to Afghanistan alongside American service members — not as a soldier, but as a truth-teller — helping build local media, counter propaganda, and earn trust in some of the world’s most dangerous places.

In this conversation, we discuss:

• Growing up under Iran’s revolution and what censorship really looks like
• Why journalism threatens authoritarian regimes
• Serving America without a uniform after 9/11
• Media trust, propaganda, and narrative warfare
• Redefining patriotism beyond politics

📘 Mahtab Farid’s book — Serving Without a Uniform: Reporting Truth in Defense of Freedom
👉 https://www.amazon.in/Serving-Without-Uniform-Reporting-Defense-ebook/dp/B0G5JGLZPF

The Middle Ground Mic
No Left. No Right. Forward.

⏱️ CHAPTER MARKERS

00:00 – Freedom, Silence, and the Cost of Truth
01:45 – Growing Up During Iran’s Revolution
06:20 – When Censorship Becomes Normal
10:40 – Discovering America From the Outside
15:30 – Journalism as Resistance
20:10 – Becoming a U.S. Citizen Before 9/11
24:45 – Choosing to Serve America
30:15 – Afghanistan: Building Media Without Fear
36:20 – Media Trust, Propaganda & Soft Power
42:10 – Redefining Patriotism Without Politics
48:50 – Final Reflections: How Will You Serve?

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Voters say they want real representation — but trust in Congress keeps falling.

In this episode of The Middle Ground Mic, host Joseph Steagall sits down with Eric France, a Democratic candidate for U.S. Congress in Illinois’s 2nd District, for an unscripted campaign interview focused on grassroots politics, people-powered leadership, and restoring trust in government.

This conversation goes beyond party labels to explore affordable housing, public safety, economic opportunity, and what real accountability should look like after the election — not just during a campaign.

Is real representation still possible? Or is it just talk?

Learn more about Eric France’s campaign:
https://franceforcongress.com/

1. Introduction and Campaign Focus- Starts at 0:00
2. Background and Experience- Starts at 3:00
3. Local Representation and Infrastructure- Starts at 6:00
4. Public-Private Partnerships and Community Needs- Starts at 9:00
5. Challenges and Accountability in Government- Starts at 12:00

THIS IS NOT AN ENDORSEMENT.

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🚨🚨Want to support The Middle Ground Mic and keep investigations going?🚨🚨
BuyMeACoffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/tmgm